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Folic Acid and Leukemia

If a woman takes folic acid while pregnant, her child's risk for developing leukemia may be significantly reduced, say researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research. Folic acid is already known to reduce the risk for brain damage and spina bifida. A deficiency in folate levels has been linked to damage to DNA, and to an increased risk for developing some adult cancers, including breast and colon. Women should take folic acid while trying to conceive, and in the first three months of pregnancy.